Searching for birth records can at times be tricky. You know your ancestor was born in Montana, and you know when they were born. But where do you go from there? Where do you call, and how do you get that record?
What is a Birth Record?
Birth records are one of many vital records—records of important life events that are kept by the government, such as death and marriage records. They usually contain the name of the person born, birth place and time, the parents’ names and occupations, as well as information on the doctor. As such, birth records are the lifeblood of family history research: they provide basic information on your ancestor that is needed to fill a family tree.
In addition, birth certificates are also necessary for your everyday life. From marriage and passport applications to sometimes even job applications, birth certificates are required to verify your identity and confirm your birth in the U. S. They are the primary and permanent document for personal identification.
The official birth record is held by the government agency, and the certificates that can be requested for are copies of this record. These certified copies are usually obtainable only by the person, their immediate family members, and those authorized by court order. The exception is for those records that have become public records—records that have been around for a very long time, such as 75 years or more. Thus, records for your older ancestors are likely to be public records, freely accessible to anyone.
How to Locate Birth Certificates
Despite the considerable demand for locating birth records, however, they are not necessarily easy to track down. In the U.S., birth records are governed on the state level, rather than at the federal level. This means that depending on the state, there will be different rules regarding how and by whom a copy of the birth certificate may be obtained, as well as how much it costs to do so.
The most basic way to obtain a copy of a birth certificate is to contact the state or county office that handles such vital records. Usually, they will require you to submit a request form, which will ask for information such as the full name of the birth person, date and location of birth, parents’ names, and reason for request. Once you submit the request, it may take a number of days or even weeks for the certificate to be mailed back, especially for populous states.
Online Search for Birth Records
The search for birth records is made rather tedious because the details of the requesting process and where to send such requests differs by state and county. However, the increasing popularity of the internet is a great boon that can make the search much easier, whether you are trying to obtain a copy of your own birth certificate or are struggling to locate a record for your ancestor.
For example, there are online databases that contain information on birth records that make the search as easy clicking the link for your state. Such sites will offer information on how and where to make requests for birth records, and may even offer tips. They will also often provide direct links to the pages for the vital records office you are interested in.
Locating birth records doesn’t have to be an arduous search. Knowing the basics of birth records and how to effectively use the internet for your search are the keys to locating the record you need.
What is a Birth Record?
